On Tuesday, March 14, at 9 a.m., in room 437, the Assembly Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear Assembly Bill 554, a bill that turns the justice system completely on its head in the name of “animal welfare.”

Current law allows an animal welfare organization to assist in the prosecution of an individual violating an existing animal welfare law. Criminal prosecutions, at a very basic level, have heightened due process requirements and animal extremists have been working for years to lower these standards.

AB 554 lowers due process standards by giving animal welfare organizations new powers to file in civil court (not criminal) against an individual they argue is violating animal welfare laws.  The problem, of course, is that this new process will result in overzealous civil enforcement actions by animal groups who are very good at harassing and intimidating law-abiding animal owners (see our feature here). And, as you might guess, civil actions involve the award of monies to prevailing parties, so organizations that are hellbent on harassment may reap the reward of new litigation tools at their disposal.

Please use our take action button to email the members of the Assembly Judiciary Committee urging them to oppose AB 554, which only sets a bad precedence for the future of the American justice system.

Don’t forget to share this message with your family, friends, and fellow sportsmen asking them to email the committee urging them to OPPOSE AB 554.

About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.